Oliver McBurnie gave Chelsea a taste of their medicine when he salvaged a stoppage-time point for Sheffield United at Bramall Lane this evening.
He’s been involved in eight goals in his last eight home Premier League appearances for the Blades (six goals and seven assists); however, in the six games McBurnie has scored, he has not won (three draws and three losses).
— Sheffield United (@SheffieldUnited) April 7, 2024
Furthermore, the Blades netted their third-ever 90th-minute equaliser in a Premier League match, while all three were scored by McBurnie (also vs Man Utd in November 2019 and West Ham in January 2024). Indeed, McBurnie has netted half of the Blades’ 90th-minute strikes in the competition (4/8).
McBurnie’s late heroics capped off an incredible week of late drama involving Chelsea, who came into this contest in a buoyant mood following their incredible 4-3 win over Manchester United, who found themselves 2-3 ahead with 99 minutes and 17 seconds on the clock, the latest a side has ever led in a Premier League match they have gone on to lose. Cole Palmer scored twice into stoppage time, completing his first senior hat-trick. Sheffield United suffered a 3-1 loss to Liverpool on the road earlier.
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With the Blades on a miserable run and at the bottom of the Premier League table, very few have backed Chris Wilder’s side to get anything from this contest. Those pre-game expectations looked to be coming to fruition, with the Blues seemingly running out 2-1 winners. Thiago Silva and Noni Madueke scored either side of a Jayden Bogle equaliser for the hosts.
That initial effort from Bogle meant Chelsea haven’t kept a clean sheet in any of their last 12 away Premier League matches, their worst run without a shutout on the road since also stringing 12 in a row between December 2019 and September 2020.
McBurnie had other ideas, meaning Pochettino left his first Premier League visit to Bramall Lane without all three points. From a historical perspective, he no longer has a 100% win ratio in Yorkshire; before today’s outing, he’d won the previous five by an aggregate score of 16-2 (three wins vs Hull and two wins vs Huddersfield).
⚽️ x ?️#CFC | #ShuChe pic.twitter.com/NcU7sx6DfG
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 7, 2024
It looked as if Pochettino would again be indebted to Chelsea’s most valuable player. Cole Palmer created Madueke’s goal to put Chelsea back in front. It was the 14th time Chelsea had a Premier League goal both scored and assisted by players aged 22 or younger this season; only Leeds United in 1999-00 (20) have had more such goals in a campaign in the competition — has been directly involved in 25 goals across just 27 appearances in the Premier League this season (16 goals and nine assists).
Two further dropped points is a reminder of what a disappointing campaign it has been for the former Premier League champions. Chelsea have drawn three successive away games in the Premier League for the first time since September 2000. Meanwhile, the Blues have conceded 27 away goals in the top flight this season, their most after 15 away games of a league season since 1990-91 (32 goals).